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Kostas Mitroglou

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redhorizon2

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Liverpool prepare £7million bid for Greece striker Kostas Mitroglou

20 Nov 2013 22:30
Brendan Rodgers has sent scouts to watch Greece's World Cup qualifying hero as the Reds look to fend off interest from Arsenal and Inter Milan


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Greeces-Mitroglou-goal-2813823.jpg
Greece is the word: The Reds are in for Kostas Mitroglou
Reuters
Liverpool will launch a £7million bid to land striker Kostas Mitroglou after watching him fire Greece to the World Cup finals .
Head of Recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter were in Romania to watch the Olympiacos star score a vital goal as the Greeks won a tense play-off.
The pair were also in Athens to watch the first leg last week where the 25-year-old turned the tie with two stunning goals to prove his pedigree at the highest level.
Anfield’s Head of Performance and Analysis Michael Edwards has also run the rule over the centre forward, with scouts from the club watching his last SIX matches - including an incredible 90th minute winner in the explosive Athens derby, which almost sparked a riot.
Boss Brendan Rodgers has received detailed reports on the international striker, and has been convinced enough to launch his bid for a player who will be priced so reasonably in the January window, despite some stunning performances this season.
He has scored four hat tricks this season - one fewer than Cristiano Ronaldo - and has bagged a stunning 14 goals in 10 league games for his club, as well as six for Greece in his last seven matches.
He first came to Rodgers' attention as a star at the U19 Euro Championships in 2007, and the manager stepped up his interest last season, when he burst onto the scene in Greece with 20 goals for Olympiakos, despite often starting as a sub.
The move may surprise some with Liverpool boasting such a devastating forward line of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, but while the Reds have bluntly ruled out any switch for Suarez in the January window, the manager is adamant he needs back up to cover for any injuries.

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National hero: Mitroglou celebrates netting for Greece in their World Cup playoff against Romania
Getty

Mitroglou is the perfect candidate because he can play as a traditional number nine or as a support striker, and even wide left of a front three, which makes him versatile enough to attract Rodgers.
And while Liverpool can expect some hot competition for the striker’s services at such an attractive price, they believe they are in a strong position, after developing a close relationship with Olympiakos in recent months.
The Reds boss has also been an admirer of their young defender Kostas Manolas, and has kept on friendly terms with the club.
Chief scout Hunter is also a former Northern Ireland team-mate of the Greek side’s current keeper Roy Carroll, and Liverpool believe they can see off interest from the likes of Arsenal and Inter Milan to land the forward.
 
17 goals in 15 appearances for club this season, and also producing for country. Would be a shrewd signing at 7M, but I don't think that's where our priorities should lie in January. However, we do need a third striker...
 
Wow, if it's true that Rodgers has been following him since 2007, then he will try to sign him for sure. I believe we need at least a couple more quality attacking players and I would be very happy with the January haul of Mitroglou and Konoplyanka.

He does not look one-dimensional either:

 
[article=http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/worldcupcentral/id/1330?cc=4716]No striker has scored more hat tricks this season than Kostas Mitroglou. Just like Cristiano Ronaldo, the Olympiakos star has bagged four of them. Three came in the Greek Super League, against Levadiakos, Xanthi and Veria. In between, Mitroglou became the first Greek ever to net three times in a single Champions League game, in a fortunate 3-0 away win at Anderlecht.

It is quite fitting that he's so fond of hat tricks, because Mitroglou also collects hats, and some say he's ... well, mad as a hatter.

It would be difficult to find a more eccentric player than the in-form Greece international. His behaviour on and off the pitch is totally unpredictable, and his goal celebrations are usually pretty wild too. His usual routine includes mimicking a pistol, or machine gun, and shooting into the stands -- an act that has earned him a nickname of "Pistolero" and also the odd yellow card, as can be seen in this incident in the Greek Cup fixture against Panthrakikos last season.

The reason behind the ritual is simple: in Germany, top scorers receive cannon statues rather than golden boots for their achievements, and that is where Mitroglou was raised. Born in Kavala, Greece, he moved to North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at a very young age, and developed as a youngster in a mix of both cultures. Maybe this background is why he is difficult to understand, and that inability to work him out could also be one of the reasons nobody really believed in his potential at Borussia Monchengladbach, in spite of his remarkable scoring record.

The Bundesliga club sold Kostas to Olympiakos in the summer of 2007 for just 200,000 euros, after the Greek giants noticed his abilities at the European Under-19 championships in Austria. On his return to his motherland, Mitroglou found life rather tough, as he didn't speak fluent Greek and struggled to integrate, but he was never shy on the pitch.

Some called him audacious, some said he was overconfident, but whatever you call it, this characteristic lead to his career taking a major blow in August 2008, when Olympiakos played Anorthosis Famagusta in the Champions League qualifiers. It was one of coach Ernesto Valverde's first games in charge of the Greek champions, and he was in for a shock.

The Cypriots, Anorthosis Famagusta, took an early 2-0 lead, and the Basque coach sent Mitroglou on as a substitute in the second half in order to strengthen the attack. The pressure paid off, as Olympiakos won a crucial penalty. Valverde wanted Luciano Galletti to take it, but it was Mitroglou who grabbed the ball, ignored Valverde's instructions and took the shot. He missed. A few minutes later, Anorthosis made it 3-0, and the final scoreline made the task in the return leg impossible.

The club missed out on the group stages of the Champions League and Valverde never forgave his striker. Mitroglou was very rarely used during 2008-09 season, and only got another chance after the Basque left in the summer. That's when Mitroglou got his first real opportunity to flourish, and even scored a brilliant brace in the big derby against Panathinaikos, but overall it was a very difficult season for Olympiakos; the club went through four different coaches and lost the championship title to their fierce rivals.

It was no surprise, then, that Valverde was welcomed back as a saviour in August 2010 -- though that was very bad news for Mitroglou. He was left out in the cold again, and the club decided it was time to send the striker out on loan. In retrospect, it was the best thing that could have happen to him.

For years, many considered Mitroglou to be supremely talented but untrainable, and it took a person who could really understand him for things to finally click.

The striker found himself at Atromitos, a modest Athens outfit whose fans were accustomed to relegation battles. That all changed in the summer of 2011, when they got Mitroglou on loan to work under coach Giorgos Donis. The partnership was sensational, because Donis, a former Greek international striker who had unsuccessful spells with Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United during his playing career, was himself born in Germany, in Frankfurt. With similar roots and a similar playing style, he was the perfect mentor to Mitroglou.

"Pistolero" scored 16 league goals that season, helping Atromitos to finish fourth and qualify for the championship playoffs for the first time in their history. He was voted Greek footballer of the season -- an achievement previously unheard of for a player who plies his trade outside the "Big Three" (Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK). From there on, his rapid improvement was unstoppable.

Olympiakos president Evangelos Marinakis, who refused to sell Mitroglou when Valverde didn't want him, was proud to welcome him back when the coach left once again in the summer of 2012.

Last season, the new star of the Red-and-Whites scored 11 league goals, adding five in the cup and four in Europe, even though he was mainly used as a substitute and forced to play second fiddle to Rafik Djebbour. This term, with the controversial Algerian gone, the stage was set for Mitroglou to shine, and he quickly developed an understanding with Argentine new signing Javier Saviola. They got off to a brilliant start, and Mitroglou's stats reflected that.

With 14 league goals in 10 games, including a last-minute winner against Panathinaikos and great performances in the Champions League, the crazy "Pistolero" is now attracting attention all over Europe. And it is very much deserved, as Kostas is proving to be a multitalented and versatile attacker. He is strong in the air and possesses a powerful left foot, but is capable of scoring with his right as well.

Mitroglou is equally comfortable as a typical No. 9 or as a support striker. He is committed and always gives his utmost on the field, chasing every ball. His vision and tactical awareness have improved significantly over the last two years, and he can even curl majestic free kicks into the top corner. In short, he is on the verge of becoming a truly top-class player.

Liverpool and Inter are reported to be watching the 25-year-old closely, and so are Arsenal. (The Gunners look like a perfect destination for a striker who was brought up dreaming of a cannon.)

Wherever his destination might be in January, Mitroglou knows very well where he wants to be in June. Former Greece coach Otto Rehhagel largely ignored him for the national team when he was inconsistent. Fernando Santos named him in the Greece squad for Euro 2012, but Mitroglou was never seriously considered for the starting lineup and barely played. Now, though, he is the main man.

Having scored his first two international goals last year, he added five during the last three months. His brace in Greece's 3-1 World Cup playoff first-leg victory over Romania on Friday turned him into a national hero.

Greece are now just 90 minutes away from qualifying for their second successive World Cup -- and that will be just their third appearance on the grand stage. In the past two tournaments, the Greeks have suffered from goal-scoring problems -- even failing to find the net at all on their debut in 1994.

Their image, especially after freakishly winning Euro 2004 through a defensive setup, is that of a dull and boring outfit. Mitroglou can change that. With his unpredictable, charismatic style, he is capable of lighting up every game. On current form, neutral fans around the globe may actually want to see him playing in Brazil. With him, Greece could suddenly become an attractive team, and that alone is quite an achievement.[/article]
 
I've been following this guy since he made a comment to Mrs. Athens (the lucky girl was the future Mrs. Athens then) in Heathrow airport when we were waiting to board a flight back to Greece.

It was the summer of 09. Olympiacos had been beaten by Spurs in a friendly and were on the same flight as us (the team were in economy, the coaching staff were in business class). Mrs. A had her wedding dress with her in a white protective cover and had spread it across a few seats so it wouldn't touch the ground.

Mitroglou walked past and said to her "who died there?" To which Mrs. A said "That's my wedding dress, cheeky". Him and another team mate chuckled to themselves and looked up at the screen. He then asked Mrs. A what time the flight was at and Mrs. A said "It's up there on the screen where it says the flight to Athens. You haven't travelled much around Europe, have you?" This was a reference to Panathinaikos having made a European Cup final in 1971 while Olympiacos haven't made it to the final. I don't think he got the joke.

In short he does seem to be able to bag goals, he is also the type of player who gets fired up by the big occasion. None of this going missing in big matches for him.

Not sure if he's what we want though.
 
I watched the highlights of the Greece Romania game and I must admit he was the player that stood out for me, some really classy finishes. Thats all I've seen of him though.
 
What is the equivalent?
I'd love to own a plate manufacturing company in Greece it's always been a dream.

I suppose Vasilopoulos or Carrefour.

They hardly ever smash plates these days. The wedding venues stopped it as they got sick of cleaning up and I think too many people (probably drunk tourists) were wrecking themselves on the broken plates.
 
It's all about whether we also have an AM lined up. If we do and get "him" then I'd be all for this signing too.

Yeah he looks a bit like a madman and I have never seen him play but boy that is some fine goals and skills he shows in that youtube. I mean at £7M we'd probably not even be able to buy a 25-year-old Championship striker with half decent stats. I'd prefer this lad any day to any unproven Spanish player in their 20's for one.
 
I've seen him play a few times and he looks pretty good. Hard to know how he'd go in a decent league, but from what i've seen he can put away a chance.
 
@LFCFansCorner: According to reports, Liverpool have beaten Arsenal to the signature of £7m rated Greek international striker Kostas Mitroglou.

Looks pretty good. Wouldnt mind us signing him and if we do Aspas will be on the plane back to Spain.
First on loan then a permanent transfer..
 
Could be a shrewd and economic replacement for Lewandowski seeing that they probably won't be getting anything from his departure.
 
As long as the price tag doesn't mean he's another aspas!

Rory, do you know everyone in Greece?
 
As long as the price tag doesn't mean he's another aspas!

Rory, do you know everyone in Greece?

Me? No. I don't know him, he just had a short conversation with my wife once.

He had those funny shaved eyebrows at the time. I instantly thought he was a dick.
 
He might actually be a nice guy in real life (hitting on athens wife aside) but he does have the face of a massive cunt, so for that reason, I'm in.

We need to make sure our cunt quota doesn't drop too low when Suarez leaves.
 
I'm with Keni here. I want him coz he looks a cunt. We do need more cunts. I thought Aspas was gonna be a cold mutharfucker. We needed a Diego Costa not an Aspas.
 
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